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Hey guys, want to thank everyone for your input on the Colts, I have learned a lot from your input on moving forward good or bad LOL
At my age it's time to past the torch to more inquisitive minds to see what the future holds for our organization. I only wish the best for us as fans and hope you will too. I am a old timer who knows my time is growing shorter. I hope I will be around longer, but, if not I hope you guys keep the faith and the dream longer. In this busy world that we live in , time marches on , and my only wish is that we can all agree that. no matter what our differences is that we can form a bond that we are galvanized to the betterment of our franchise. So in retrospect , just remember we are all Colts fans and give your fellow fans, the respect regardless if you agree with them, that in the end it's about us as a team.

According to the PFF folks there have been series of stories about Quenton Nelson and his participation in the combine last year. You can hear the stories here(go to 47:25):
Story 1: Quenton was interviewing with the 49ers and they showed him the tape of him blowing the safety away coming from the other side of the formation from the game vs Georgia.
So they ask him "what did you see, how did you see the safety blitz? Talk us through this" and Quenton answered the regular stuff "I've studied tape, I saw the formation and picked up the blitz, etc."... then he looked straight at John Lynch and added "I would have done the same thing if it was you"
Story 2: Quenton and his trainers had decided to not do one of the drills at the combine and some team told him "if you don't run that drill we are not going to draft you" and he was like "Look, all I do is bury people into the dirt every single play and if you cannot work that out from the tape then I can't help you"

Just a humble request from those like me watching the NFL Draft live on ESPN, at least for Day 1 and Day 2, please do not post the draft picks a few seconds in advance from twitter. Thanks!!!
Don't be a spoiler!!!

Look, I know there are a lot of upset people about how free agency has played out, but I wanted to take a deeper look into Ballard's process and maybe relax some people's anxiety.
2 of Ballard's core philosophies are..
1. Take care of your own players.
2. He wants the Colts to be the best team in the league at developing talent.
I think we can all agree that FA has been full of huge contracts payed out to (outside of Earl Thomas and a few others) good, but not elite players.
Ballard's view is likely that he'd prefer to spend our cap room on resigning OUR guys and keeping our core together, rather than let our stars go and try to find their replacements.
Next year, we have a ton of big name free agents. AC, Kelly, Ebron, Moore, Sheard... just to name a few. Then TY is the year after.
So, the question is, where is all this money we have gonna go? Its gonna go right there, to OUR guys.
Now, I have seen many people say, "It doesn't matter what they spend, if we want to win a Superbowl we need better talent."
If you are of that belief, you're not wrong..
What is wrong is assuming Ballard doesnt believe that too. He knows it. The difference is how he chooses to find that jump in talent.
Instead of bringing new faces into the building on big expensive contracts, he is putting all his resources into developing the talent we have. Taking good players and making them great.
Let's look at pass rush for example. (I'm gonna use Madden like terminology just because it's easy to digest)
Let's say, on a scale of 0-100, Kemoko Turay was at a 75 last year.
Maybe Preston Smith was an 84.
Ballard drafted Turay with the belief that, (and again, I'm just thinking hypothetically here) with time/reps/the right coaching, Turay could be a 90.
So, in his mind, his answer for the pass rush is already on the roster. Instead of REPLACING a 75 with an 84, he wants to UPGRADE his 75 to that same level and hopefully beyond.
It's more affordable on the cap, and it establishes a culture of progression.
When players think, "Man, the Colts can help me get the best out of myself. They can help make me the best version of me." then not only do they want to come here and stay here, but they also trust the coaches and lean into them. They work harder knowing that the team has a proven track record of success developing players. They become better players, we win more games, they earn their more money for their next contract. The entire system is symbiotic.
It takes time, and I know that's frustrating when we as fans can't look on paper and just already know the team is definitively better than it was last year. But Ballard has proven that he can do this.
Just look at last year...
Ebron went from ridiculed bust to leading the league in touchdowns.
Glow went from obscurity to incredibly impressive starting RG and earned a nice contract.
Kenny Moore and Pierre Desir, even Quincy Wilson were mocked and called "the weakest position group on the team"... and look how well they played as they got better and better throughout the season.
Ryan Kelly went from a solid Center to arguably the best center in the NFL.
So, yes, its easy to be upset. Theres nothing wrong with wanting impact players to come to the Colts.
But Ballard is banking on himself, and trusting that they're already here. He's earned the right to have this season go HIS way and on HIS terms, where he can prove to all of us that he can make that process work.

"Indianapolis Colts: A
Top needs: Wide receiver, edge rush, cornerback
How about the job Chris Ballard has done as general manager of the Colts? He absolutely crushed the 2018 draft, finding stars and helping catapult Indy to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth after going 4-12 in 2017. This roster has a ton of young talent. Ballard also landed an extra second-rounder from the Jets in the Sam Darnold trade last year, and that pick ended up at the very top of Round 2 in 2019. That's good team-building, and the Colts had some very specific needs to fill this weekend. How did Ballard do? I love this class from top to bottom.
Ballard moved out of Round 1, picking up an extra 2020 second-rounder in going from No. 26 to No. 46, which meant Indy had three second-round picks. And I really liked all four of Indy's Day 2 picks. I was surprised that cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (No. 34) made it out of the first round, but only one corner went in the first 32 picks. He is a little raw, but I think he'll start immediately. Wide receiver Parris Campbell (No. 59) is a burner, but he also caught 90 passes last season and improved every year. He'll play some slot and also scorch corners out wide. Bobby Okereke (No. 89) was my fourth-ranked inside linebacker, and he could compete with Anthony Walker for that starting spot. Defensive end Ben Banogu (No. 49) is a really good to fit in Matt Eberflus' 4-3 scheme.
That's all three needs filled on Day 2. There were also some intriguing additions on Day 3, particularly in safety Khari Willis (No. 109), who I ranked as my No. 50 overall prospect. He broke up 10 passes last season and will be an impact special-teams contributor. Safety Marvell Tell III (No. 144) is a good athlete with a 6-foot-2 frame. Javon Patterson(No. 246) made 39 college starts at guard but will likely move to center.
Ballard & Co. have done it again -- this is my favorite draft class."

Here's a thread for posterity... so you guys can make fun of me when the games start or in several years when all I wrote here might be proved wrong.
Trade #26 for #46 and future 2nd round pick: it seems like Ballard didn't love any player enough(or had players with redflags - Sweat? on the board) to pass on the value provided by this trade and by any reasonable estimation of the value received back this trade is a win.
Grade: A
#34 Rock Ya-Sin, CB, Temple: I've been on this bandwagon all off-season - Ballard wanted to reinforce the secondary and he also said that he liked the value of both CB and S in the 2nd-3d round in one of his pre-draft media appearances. About the player - I personally had him ranked a bit lower(in the 50s of my board) but I understand why Ballard likes him and what he sees in him - he's a physical corner who tackles well and he also plays press man well - something Ballard said we will be looking to do more of in the following years. I still want to see how he does with his instincts in zone, but I think overall it's a solid pick. I had several CBs on the board that I preferred to Ya-Sin so this is reflected in the grade.
Grade: B-
Trade #46 for #49 and #144: Again solid value received for trading down just 3 spots.
Grade: A
#49 Ben Banogu, DE/OLB TCU - athletic freak, with tons of physical potential and good production in college, but extremely raw technically. He said it himself in an interview - they did very little pass-rushing technique teaching in TCU and he was told to just go get the QB. A lot of his production came on stunts and loops and QB scrambles. Very few pure wins one-on-one vs OT. He plays physical and seems to sort through the trash on his stunts well(this will serve well for him if he plays in the SAM role - what Ballard suggested he will do to start off his career). I don't mind betting on the athletic profile and trying to develop him with time. I would expect him to get about 100% of the snaps at SAM(about 30-35% of all the snaps) and about 10-15% more as a pass-rusher on passing downs. Overall if he plays in about half the snaps in his rookie year, this would be a good output IMO. I had him ranked in the 70s on my board and had several other DEs ranked ahead of him, so this is reflected in the grade.
Grade: B-
#59 Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State - I love this pick. I started the year not loving his profile... I couldn't get past the fact that he was lined up about 100% of the time in the slot or was used as a gadget player on sweeps and screens, etc. But the more I watched the more I couldn't ignore the playmaking ability. I think he's spectacular with the ball in his hands - he makes people miss and once he beats you, you stay beaten. His speed is just too much to handle. He is a YAC monster which is something we desperately needed on the roster. He will need some production manufactured for him to start his career, but IMO this type of player is a test for your offensive playcallers - if you cannot make Parris Campbell into an offensive weapon to be feared, you probably are not a great scheme creator/caller. I loved how excited Reich was about this pick... to me it shows that he cannot wait to get his hands on him and he realizes that this is more than just a receiver... this is a player that can be a game breaker for you. Reports are that he surprised evaluators at the combine with the way he was running routes that were not simple slants so he might have even more upside with time and refining his outside game. Campbell was ranked no. 32 on my personal board so this and my love for the fit of this pick is reflected in my grade
Grade: A+
#89 Bobby Okereke, LB, Stanford - I love this pick. The comparisons with Darius Leonard are a bit bold, but I'm comparing them as players coming out of college, rather than as what I expect from Okereke - his physical profile is similar to Leonards - long and fast, sideline to sideline ability. Great movement ability overall. Great playmaking ability. Again - similar to Leonard - Okereke filled the stat sheet in college too - 96 tackles, 7.5TFL, 3.5 sacks, 5PD, 2 Forced Fumble, 1 Fumble recovered in his last season. He just makes plays. I don't know if this will happen year 1, but I absolutely expect him to oust Walker and be Leonard's long-term LB-partner for the years to come. I had Okereke ranked 77 on my board, I love the player and I love the fit - and this is reflected in my grade:
Grade: A
Trade #129 and #135 for #109 and selecting Khari Willis, SS, Michigan State: I don't love the value of the trade and I don't love the player we picked. I realize that Ballard probably had him ranked very high since he traded up 20 spots to get him, but right now I am not convinced he will be able to play any time soon. I see people preparing him to start instead of Gaethers and I can't say I see what they are seeing. He looks physical, and has good frame but he somehow still looks smallish to me. Doesn't seem very rangy and athletic. He doesn't miss many tackles, but ball carriers usually drags him for several yards after contact. In a weird way I kind of like his coverage skills better than his run defense. He looks sticky in coverage, but he grabs a bit, IMO because he knows he lacks the speed... not sure he will be able to get away with it in the league. Reads the eyes of the QB well in zone but I cannot say he has great ball-skills. I didn't have him ranked before the draft, but watching him after the draft I would have had him ranked after Marvell Tell who I had as an early 4th. I think he's solid but unspectacular. This might bite me in the butt, but I don't see him as anything more than a depth piece at this point. Overall I don't see the appeal, at least not enough to give up 2 4th round picks to move up and get him.
Grade: D-
#144 Marvell Tell, S/CB, USC - I like this pick. Reportedly Ballard wants us to try him at CB first and this makes sense. He was one of the players I highlighted as potential conversion candidates pre-draft. His size and extremely smooth and effortless movement lends itself into playing more CB than safety. He has the desire to tackle, but his slight frame(for a safety) didn't help with it. In the 5th round, IMO this is a great shot to take at a developmental prospect with great traits and athleticism. I had him ranked as an early 4th prospect so this is reflected in the grade.
Grade: A
#164 EJ Speed, linebacker, Tarleton State - there's only one game tape of him on the nets and half of it is played in a snowstorm. I refuse to give him a grade based on that, but he seems to fit the mold that Ballard likes - long, athletic, rangy, great movement player with special closing speed and playmaking ability.
Grade: N/A
#199 Gerri Green, DE, Mississippi State - great burst off the snap, raw... not many pass-rush moves, no pass-rush plan, has trouble disengaging. Shows OK strength in keeping the edge and rarely in his bullrush. I don't see it with him - I'd be shocked if he makes the team. We have too much depth at the DE spot + I had multiple DEs available ranked higher than him.
Grade: D
#240 Jackson Barton, OT, Utah - solid kick step in pass protection, but lacks balance due to playing too upright and his punch doesn't land consistently, sloppy in the run game. OK shot for OL-depth in the 7th round.
Grade B-
246 Javon Paterson, OG/OC, Ole Miss - Versatility is his calling card. Has played both guard and center. Looks athletic and has good movement on pulls. Not great technique in pass-protection, defenders beat him to his freame, sometimes leans forward a bit. OK shot at OL depth late in the draft.
Grade: B-
Overall thoughts: I love what Ballard is doing with this roster. I love that he trades back when he sees value in acquiring additional high end picks and doing it not just for the current year but thinking forward for following drafts. The analytics is firmly with him in this case - we are getting great value on those trades. No team is much better than the rest in the draft so more shots high in the draft give you more chances to hit on players.
I love that Ballard obviously has a type of player he likes and as others have pointed out he loves length and he loves athleticism and speed in this defenders. I might not love every player drafted, but at least I know there is a plan for the players we drafted. We don't draft players with the thought "just get him here and we'll figure out what to do with him". There is a vision for where this roster is going and there is a vision for where the players drafted will fit.
Overall I like the draft and I thought we created competition on several key spots and some of the players we drafted have the required athleticism for us to hope they will develop in more than just rotational players(Banogu, Rock, Okereke, Campbell, Tell). Worth pointing out - the value of this draft has not been exhausted yet - we still have another second round pick to make next year thanks to the trade on day 1 of this draft.
Overall Grade of the draft: B... very solid with potential for extra credit from next year's acquired 2nd round pick.

In episode 5 they show parts of the draft and parts of the pre-draft process talking about the players they wanted.
The eay they talked they acted as if Rock, Banogu, Parris and Okereke were stacked in order and they were supremely excited when their plan fell into place....
Additionally, they seemed to have specifically targeted Speed, Green and Willis as well prior to the draft.
I find this uncanny that they were specific targets and they landed with us perfectly. On top of that, the video is pretty cool too!
Irsay had this to say as well....
"Chris Ballard has done an incredible job, as usual,” Irsay said following the draft. “You can see it in every fiber of his body that he knows these guys. He knows what he’s doing. He’s not overconfident, but he is extremely talented, almost to the level of a savant in the draft room.”
Ballard does treat draft weekend as a scientist. He accounts for every variable and every potential outcome in order to be best prepared for whatever the three-day event throws at him and his executives.
Uncanny......Savant......good words to describe what he's done in 2 years time!

. The average age of the current roster: 25.2
Average experience of current roster: 3.2
Without AV's 46 years and 23 years....
Age: 24.8 & Experience: 2.9
For an 10-6 and 1-1 team with Rookie HC and coordinators and a 2nd year GM that is pretty spectacular.
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Carroll Phillips and Jihad Ward both played at Illinois and were coached by Phair
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Carroll Phillips and Ahmad Thomas won state football championships together in Miami in High School
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Antonio Garcia, after being a 3rd Round Pick (with lots of accolades) of the Patriots, was released after being diagnosed with blood cl.ots in his lungs and dropping 40 pounds. Fully healthy now he COULD be the hier apparent to Castonzo.
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Al-Quadin Muhammad was a 4 star recruit at Miami and was suspended with then teammate Jermaine Grace (former Colt) and missed 2 years of college ball due to another suspension where he was falsley accused of an domestic altercation with a roomate - he was still drafted in the 6th round by the Saints on pure talent - redshirted even though he tore up the preseason twice - and Ballard scooped him up at cut down day. Theoretically he would now have his 4 years of college experience and I believe he will breakout candidate this year!
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Deon Cain and Marcus Johnson both started their college careers as quarterbacks until transitioning to wide receivers. We will reap those benefits.
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Jihad Ward is my other breakout candidate on the defensive line. He was always better suited for the UT position, and Eberflus surely saw that when he coached him at the Senior Bowl and with Dallas briefly, as does Phair his old college line coach. Now that he is in a position to use his natural abilities with us, I see 5-10 sack potential in him and he will be my second breakout candidate of the year.
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We have 6 tightends on the current roster, only one of which was drafted. Additionally, 2 were college bball players (Travis & Alie-Cox) and one was a wide receiver (Billy Brown). Very interesting and diverse backgrounds for the deepest TE room in the league.
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Lastly, while I will not have Cain or Fountain as breakout candidates (yet), but, I will say that they will contribute this year in the offense. Likely at the expense of Pascal and/or Rogers.

In my 7 years here, I don't recall being more wrong than I have today. And I'm OK with it. I never think I know more than Ballard. I have complete trust in CB, and it would take a long string of failure for me to lose it. And I don't see that happening. As I've said before, he just oozes competence and professionalism. So glad he's our GM.
But to all my mistakes. We can start at the beginning... for roughly 6 months I've been convinced we'd pick a DL in the first round, and for a fair amount of those months, I thought we'd double up and take another DL at pick 34. Wrong and Wrong! And I certainly never saw our first overall pick of the draft being a cornerback?! Cornerback?!? Wrong again! I guess Ballard's definition of "Premium position" is limited only to the first round. Ballard has now had 3 drafts and take a corner in the 2nd round twice. Can't be a coincidence. I would've thought that a top-50 pick would be premium. Wrong again! So, for those posters who I have pounded on, trust me, it will STOP from here on out. After R1, I guess anything is possible.
At pick 49, I didn't see Ben Benogu going that high. And I posted here that I thought he'd play DE for us. And then the Colts called him an OLB. And Kevin Bowen said we talked to him about playing next to Darius Leonard. At his presser, Ballard said BB can play all 3 LB spots, plus DE and could even kick inside to DT. Called him a "rusher". They're very high on him. Tested as a top athlete for his size.
At pick 59, I wasn't surprised we went WR. But I had no feel for whether we'd go tall like Butler, or small like Isabella, or someone in the middle? No idea. Ballard and Reich gushed over Parris.
And, even as a Stanford fan, I confess to being surprised at Bobby Okereke going at pick 89. I posted in the last month or two, that I thought Bobby was a quality back-up, but wasn't sure he was a starter, especially for us since I think he'd play the same spot as Darius at WILL. I thought he might be a R4 or R5 guy. But tonight. CB says Okereke can play all three spots, which surprised me. Bobby has been mostly an under-achiever at Stanford. Even this year, his best, people were not wowed by him. He was listed at 6'3" and 235, and those close to the program chuckled all the time about that. They claimed he was neither that tall, nor that heavy. And then he showed up at the Combine and under 6'2", so he was shorter, but weighed 239. That shocked everyone. I'd guess he put on 8-12 pounds of good lean muscle after the season. That also surprised the Stanford community. He tested surprisingly well at the combine and pro day. And Ballard seems very high on him.
Ballard talked tonight about adding, speed and athleticism. He and Frank seem very happy with their results. They gave no hints for tomorrow.
I'm eating crow. A little garlic salt helps! Washing it down with water. Topping it off with some Humble Pie! Bon Appetite!

It’s way too early for me to grade this draft.
Last year it was easy for me to say Ballard hit it out of the park. Nelson and Leonard were primo players and perfect fits for what we do.
Let’s be honest, this year we did not have the third overall pick in the draft, and it’s a completely different situation. I think we might have hit on some second tier talent. Although I think Rock and Parris are both possible tier 1 candidates. Time will tell.
Not everyone is going to be an All Pro rookie.
I think Rock and Parris both have a chance to start on Day 1.
Rock is the press man corner we have been looking for. With him in the lineup, we’ll run more cover 1 and cover 3. I believe that is our long-term vision of this defense.
If Parris starts opposite of TY then he will see some single coverage, and he could have a phenomenal year.
I think we’ll experiment a lot with Ben, Bobby, EJ, and Gerri until we find out exactly where they fit best.
We got some depth and competition in the secondary and along the offensive line.
I think it’s important for fans to understand that we are no longer a team with glaring needs. Our entire approach to the draft has changed. We will be picking much later, and we will be developing draft picks for the future.
There will be years when we don’t start a single rookie. But that will not mean we had a bad draft. It will just mean that we are no longer desperate. That’s when we will know we are doing it right.

Always love listening to Bruce Arians...and in his intro at Tampa he was asked about defensive scheme. His response: "Your scheme is your personnel"
Drafted players, coupled with comments from Ballard this weekend about the same gives indication that we won't be as vanilla on D as the Dungy Colts, and that we do intend to retain and/or build on the more aggressive elements we started to see the back half of the year.
Banogu is the obvious bat signal here. Calling him a SAM and Rusher as Ballard did suggests potential for 4-3 under looks and ability to legitimately line up more than one way with the same personnel.
Drafting a corner at 34 whose strength is in press not zone (along with commentary about Tell converting to CB) suggests we are going the same direction that the Cowboys went last year to take space away from receivers in coverage more often while retaining the skill to play zone against teams where that is a better match up (ie. Deshaun Watson)
There was reason to be concerned early last year, but the indicators of playing modern football are starting to stack up...very happy about these indicators...

Ballard was playing some chess today! We got an elite corner before the CB run began. Ballard squeezed an extra 5th out of our mid -2nd and took a solid DE. He beat the WR run and grabbed Campbell just in time. Then finished it off with a Darius Leonard clone! 6 picks tomorrow and an extra 2020 2nd round pick included with that and we are in great shape heading into tomorrow! The way Ballard sensed the CB and WR run was legendary! What a boss Ballard is!

THIS is one of the most outdated views on the draft. There is nothing value-wise that should make a future pick worth less than a current year's pick. If I were a GM I'd abuse old time GMs who think future picks are worth less than current year picks. I'd always pick future 2nd over current year 3d. Over the long-term this is a GOLD MINE of value.
It is only worth less for GMs who have no job-security, because they might be getting good value for the next guy. We don't have that problem, Ballard has good job security and is making the good decisions for the long term success of the team.
This trade was a great value by any chart you can find out there.
I LOVE it... if we didn't love Sweat or Tillery that is...

First off.... ths is NOT a mock. Just my 32 best players. I don't do mocks, but I try to rate the top talent. Very little film study. Mostly going by the evaluators I respect most. I've done as many as four rounds per year. But this year, as I did last year, I'll only do one. Life has too many obsticles in the way.
As I always do, I break down the round into a top-10, a bottom-10, and a middle-12. I'm rarely satisfied getting the right names into the first round projection, I'm tryng to get them into the right third of a round. I've had as many as 28 of 32 right names and as few as 24.
So.... here we go....
1. Nick Bosa DE Ohio State
He's rated for me equally with Q. Williams, but gets the nod for the top spot based on the importance of the position he plays, DE over DT.
2. Quinnen Williams DT Alabama
Second String last year; 2nd overall pick this year. Has anyone comes so far; so fast?
3. Josh Allen Edge Kentucky
Can play OLB in a 3-4 or a DE in a 4-3. Is he Kahlil Mack 2.0?
4. Devin White LB LSU
Can reportedly play MLB or the Will. Athletic and powerful.
5. Ed Oliver DT Houston
Been a roller coaster ride. Start of the year; top-5. Middle of the year; top-15. Wowed at the combine has him back in the top-10 and my top-5.
6. Montez Sweat DE Mississippi State
6'6" 260; nearly 36' arms; 10 1/2 hands; 36' vert; 125" broad; 7.0 3-cone, And he has very good tape. Wow!
7. Kyler Murray QB Oklahoma
The size makes him Russell Wilson, but far, far more athletic. Scary athletic. Baker Mayfield's rookie year gives Murray even more credibility. May go 1st overall.
8. Dwayne Haskins QB Ohio State
Only one year as a starter. (Same with Murray) Always a big red flag. But he's a pocker passer. Pure arm talent. Are recent reports of dipping stock a smoke screen?
9. TJ Hockenson TE Iowa
6'5" 250 Best all around TE this year, and in the last few years. Comparison to Gronk may be somewhat overstated, but TJ is still a top-10 player.
10. Andre Dillard OT (LT) Washington State
Consensus best LT in the draft, yet many have him 5-10 spots lower than I do. Whatever flaws he has are correctable. Positional value trumps all.
11. Devin Bush Will OLB Michigan
Can also play MIKE, but some teams will view him as too small for the inside. Great athlete, great backer. And yet I often see him mocked lower. Not sure why?
12. Drew Lock QB Missouri
Some say he has the best arm of this class. Others fear his 9" hands, well below average. Teams reportedly either love Lock, or are meh on him.
13. Jonah Williams OL Alabama
Started for 3 years for Alabama. Played LT the last two years. He's 6'4", 302, and has 33 5/8" arms. Too small for LT at NFL level for some teams. But could play (start) any of the other 4 OL positions. He's that good. Many think he's the best OL in this draft. Not for me, but he's close.
14. Brian Burns DE/OLB Florida State
One of my favorites this year. He and Sweat are what Ballard is looking for to be his RDE. Will Ballard trade up? Not likely, but we have reportedly shown considerable interest.
15. Jawan Taylor OT (RT) Florida
Big and powerful. A pure right tackle and not a LT. Could play G if need be. His game is not finesse. You run hard behind guys like him.
16. Colin Ferrell DE Clemson
He was top-10 eight to ten months ago. Not sure what he did wrong, but now I mostly seem him in the teen's or the 20's. But I think he's a RDE at the next level.
17. Jeff Simmons DT Mississippi State
Can you believe Simmons and Sweat were on the same Bulldog Defensive Line?! Simmons has two strikes against him, otherwise, he'd be top-10, and perhaps even top-5. He blew up a knee in early February training for the combine. And 3 years ago, in high school, he beat up a girl who was reportedly bullying his sister. It's on videotape. Everyone says he was a good kid before the incident, and he's been perfect for the last 3 years since then. Saw a story this week saying everyone in the scouting community loves the kid and will back him as a great kid. Called a culture changer for your program. Jim Irsay, are you listening? Please?
18. Rashaan Gary DE/DT Michigan
One of my least favorite players. Looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane. Tremendous tools and mostly under-achieving tape. Where are the results? Teams will gamble on his great, raw, and mostly untapped talent.
19. Noah Font TE Iowa
Font and Hockenson, the two top tight ends both on the same team. Nice for Iowa. If Hockenson is the pure tight end, then Font is the more receving option. He'd compare more to Ebron in style (minus the hands issue)
20. Christian Wilkins DT Clemson
Measured smaller and heavier than expected at the combine. 6'3" and 315. Not 6'4" and 305. Does that scare anyone? Maybe. But he didn't test as well as expected. Does THAT scare anyone? Maybe. Read within the last week he's both a 3-tech AND now also a Nose Tackle. Hmm? Said by all to be great in the locker room. A natural team leader. A very Ballard-like guy. Been mocked well into the 20's for the better part of a month.
Does he reach the Colts?
21. Cody Ford G/T Oklahoma
Played at 340 this year, but showed up at the combine 10-12 pounds lighter. Can play both right tackle and inside at guard. But he's not a LT.
22. DK Metcalf WR Mississippi
My first wide receiver appears. And I wouldn't be surprised if he falls to the 2nd round. Incredible body, incredible athlete EXCEPT, he's more a straight line runner with blazing speed. But he's not a sophisticaed rout runner. Runs a more limited rout treet. Raw. Needs polishing.
Boom or bust?
23. Marquise Brown WR Oklahoma
Some think he could've gone top-15 if not for a foot injury in early January. Very small. 5'9" and sub-170. Said to play bigger than his size. Compared favorably to DeSean Jackson. Can catch deep or take a short pass a long way. Field changer. Game changer. Good hands.
24. Greedy Williams CB LSU
Best man corner in the draft. Tall and lean. Tested better than expected at the combine. Was thought to be possible top-10 pick eight to ten months ago. Stock has slipped by still a first round player for me. But not for everyone.
25. Demarcus Lawrence NT Clemson
6'4" 342 and that weight is down from his high in the 350's. Vince Wilfork 2.0? If he reaches us and we try to get him at 34, will New England let him get past them? Vince Wilfork 2.0! Some have questioned whether he's a scheme fit for the Colts. Said to be better in a 2-gap scheme, not our 1-gap.
26. Garrett Bradbury C North Carolina State
Fast riser late in the draft process. Said to be the top center in what is reported to be a very good class of centers.
27. Johnathan Abram S Mississippi State
Yet another stud defender from the 2018 Bulldog defense. He has supporters and detractors on ths website. But the Colts are reportedly high on him. Will they take a safety in the first round for 2nd time in Ballard's 3-years? Maybe. He'd be the strong to Hooker's free.
28. Chris Lindstrom G Boston College
Could also slip into the top of the 2nd round. But I'm calling this the Quincy Nelson effect. You can improve your o-line with high quality guard play. Lindstrom reportedly tested through the roof at the combine. Advanced metrics off the chart. Scouts ran back to double check the tape. Colts said to be high on him too.
29. Deandre Baker CB Georgia
High confident, highly competitive and highly successful corner. Has a fearless attitude. At 5'11" and 193, is he big enough to play outside? Or is he only an inside slot/nickle corner? Teams will differ on this. But he's an easy first round talent.
30. AJ Brown WR Mississippi
A pro's pro. Not flashy, but he just gets the job done. I liken him to DeAndre Hopkins with Houston. The guy you want to look for on key 3rd downs.
31. Byron Murphy CB Washington
Another corner with a lot of support on this website. He's another sub-6'0" corner who may only play in the slot. But he shutdown whoever he faced, so maybe he can play outside? Could slip into the 2nd round, but he's only my third corner on my board. Hard to see only two.
32. Chauncy Gardner-Johnson S Florida
Just my second safety. If you don't like this choice, then pick someone else. But so far, only Abrams makes my list. And I don't see a draft with only one safety going in the first round. Some team will take another, and I picked CGJ for his all-around versatility. But it could be someone else.
Close, but just missed:
Josh Jacobs RB Alabama
Jerry Tillery DT Notre Dame
kaleb McGary OT Washington
Erick McCoy OL Tex A&M
Dalton Risner OL Kansas St
Parris Campbell WR Ohio State
N'Keal Harry WR ASU
Rapp/Savage/Adderly S Various schools
Rock Ya Sin CB Temple
Daniel Jones QB Duke (Will someone trade up to take him at the bottom of the first round? Entirely possible)
OK..... there's my board.... feel free to vent and give me your opinions. Happy to hear from all... Thumbs up or down? Bring it!
We're now inside a week.... the excitement grows!
I'll have more posts & threads in the next 6 days.....
Thanks for checking out my board....
NCF

https://www.si.com/nfl/2019/05/20/colts-2019-offseason-chris-ballard-chris-long-retirement-patrick-peterson-suspension-mmqb
I'm not posting this one here for the Breer's praises of the team, but rather for the insight we can glean from Ballard. It's a good piece and I'd recommend a full read at the link above.
I am posting some highlights here:
-Ballard is not a believer in momentum - every year starts anew.
-The draft board for the Colts has been shrinking every year since Ballard got in the building. This year it was 170 players. Ballard says he wants to shrink it even more to about 120 players and that the more we shrink the board the better idea we have of what exactly we are looking for and what exactly a Colts player looks like:
-Ballard sees that happening due to getting more and more time to spend with the coaching staff and understanding what they need and value in players for our schemes:
-Ballard confirms - we were deep into FA for 2 top tier FAs but the moment the bidding went above what we were willing to pay, we let them go. He also says that he won't spend just to spend. He wants to always have capspace, especially while still building(seems like he thinks we are still in the building stage of this roster construction). Says he wants to have capspace to sign our own players when their time comes and they've earned being rewarded.
-Funchess was coaches' request and Houston was Ballard's addition due to the knowledge he had with him from when he worked in KC.
-Ballard has long-term view of the roster!!! They are looking ahead for following year's drafts and assessing the potential strengths and weaknesses of future drafts. He thinks next year's draft will be stacked WR-wise:
-Colts were looking for speed on defense, something that's a prerequisite for our system and for a player that can affect 3d downs. Ballard says that player is Ben Banogu. IMO they have high hopes for him. Ballard on the linebackers:
-Ballard on Banogu and Okereke:
-Ballard seems proud of his FO and coaching staff and their ability to stay level-headed and accurately assess the state of the team - not getting too down and give up when we were 1-5 and not get too hyped with the way we finished the season:

So my wife and I were out with friends at a restaurant in Carmel. As we were walking in this guy (Quentin) was at the hostess desk getting a to go order and I was like man he looks familiar. I'm 6'4 250 and not very often am I the one looking up at someone, but I didn't realize how tall Quentin was. He's listed at 6'5, but he has to be really close to 6'6. He looks like he has lost some weight, and added muscle, and yes that guys back is a mile wide, and that was the dead give away. The kid looks good and looks to already be in football shape.

He said in the presser "You forget with the high character guys, there's a multiplier, what you put into them it comes out the other side that much better, other guys what you put into them is what you get, it doesn't multiply."
Of course this isn't word for word, but you get the gist. That is what it's all about right there, that winning Colture. Ballard is building not only a championship roster, but the culture that's there is top notch, and it's gonna start paying dividends. Love it man, absolutely love it. Great time to be a Colts fan, enjoy the ride ladies and gentlemen, we've got some fun years ahead of us.

It's so quiet around here that even the trolls and Negativians are nowhere to be found. I'd even be happy with people making stuff up at this point.
I guess its good tho for us to catch our breath and let the skin grow back on our fingertips.
Soon enough, we'll be back to name-calling, backstabbing, and slander. Yes, Colt fans, its draft time.....enjoy.

1. Get a new good LT
2. Get a new good LG
3. Get a new good C
4. Get a new good RG
5. Get a new good RT
6. Build a new stadium that is not owned by TY Hilton
7. Try not to call TY Hilton a clown, a scrub or anything of the sort the week before the games.

Chris Wesseling from NFL.com (and Around the NFL Podcast) has issued his annual "NFL's top 10 Offenses" list, with the Colts at #2, behind only the Saints.
Below is the link to the full article:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000001030168/article/nfls-top-10-offenses-saints-colts-eagles-best-of-bunch
With below being a copy of the Colts section from the article:
2) Indianapolis Colts
Quarterback: A | Andrew Luck, Jacoby Brissett
Perhaps the league's biggest mystery entering the season, Luck shrugged off early questions about his arm strength, finishing second only to Mahomes with 39 touchdowns while collecting Comeback Player of the Year honors. Just four months from his 30th birthday, the former No. 1 overall draft pick is a different quarterback under play-caller supreme Frank Reich, showing a quicker release time, superior ball placement and a command of the pocket.
Backfield: B | Marlon Mack, Nyheim Hines, Jordan Wilkins, Spencer Ware
From Week 7 through Indianapolis' victory over the Texans in the Wild Card Round, Marlon Mack led all running backs in rushing first downs (51) and ranked second in carries (197), rushing yards (933) and rushing touchdowns (10). Can he stay healthy, run between the tackles and match that level of production across 16 games and a postseason run? Receiving specialist Nyheim Hines caught 63 passes as a rookie, showcasing the ability to beat linebackers and safeties on third downs. Versatile former Chiefs back Spencer Ware was recently signed for insurance.
Receiving corps: B+ | T.Y. Hilton, Devin Funchess, Eric Ebron (TE), Jack Doyle (TE), Parris Campbell, Chester Rogers, Zach Pascal, Deon Cain
Luck is going to love throwing to big-bodied former Panthers wideout Devin Funchess and rookie playmaker Parris Campbell after leaning heavily on undrafted projects (Rogers, Pascal, Alie-Cox, Erik Swoope) and journeymen free agents (Ryan Grant, Dontrelle Inman) for significant portions of the 2018 season. Throw in a healthy version of Doyle, and this figures to be one of the most improved position groups in the division.
Offensive line: A- | Anthony Castonzo, Braden Smith, Quenton Nelson, Mark Glowinski, Ryan Kelly, Joe Haeg, Evan Boehm
Prior to Reich's arrival, the Colts couldn't run the ball or protect Luck. With rookie All-Pro Quenton Nelson setting a bone-jarring tone, both of those problems vanished by midseason. The offensive line went from long-running punchline to head of the class, paving the way for nine 100-yard rushing performances (including the postseason) while leading the NFL in stingiest sack rate (2.8%). The starting line returns intact for 2019.

Fans and media get enamored with free agency, but those experienced and shrewd in the business of making such team decisions on free agents have some basic rules dictated by their experience. I'm fortunate to have access to them and thoughts about them from some. (it is even edited for forum brevity)
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80-85% of the time an FA is a bad value because a team has decided that a players projected production will no longer match the price his contract demands.
15-20% of the time, players can be on the market simply because teams are being squeezed by the cap. (too many good players to keep). These have higher value, but the scarcity drives up the price, so it still is not great value.
Rarely do true difference makers hit FA, and they will be exceptionally expensive.
Because of the salary cap impingement, a free agent must be productive (600+ plays per year) and have longevity. More mistakes are made in free agency at the cornerback position than any other.
Never sign a player 27 or older to a 5 year deal, nor a 4 year deal for a player 28 and older. Never sign any high risk injury player to long term deal.
You must evaluate the player, establish the schematic fit and establish the right price. Never, ever sign a player and change his technique or schematic fit. It just doesn’t work.
Be cautious of the player who's production dramatically increases in their contract year. Teams are more likely to be paying for the production of that contract year while getting the lower production from those non contract years.
The team needs to carry at least $6 million in cap resources (preferably $10 million) into the season for replacement(s) for injured players. This is after off season-
FA signings
Spending $6- 8 million for rookie draft pool
Spending $1 million of cap space allocated for practice squad players
Stick to your budget. If the team spends recklessly, there will inevitably come a time when there's a need for the money that you no longer have. Spending Tier I money on a Tier II player only inflates what you have to pay your own Tier I player when it is time. The salary cap eventually penalizes severely for overpaying players relative to what their production value is.
Player must be at least a good or great 3rd down player. Any high priced FA must be on the field and productive for those critical downs.
Do not sign a player for more than the team leader or your best player at that position. This about rewarding loyalty and maintaining a balanced cost structure within your team because otherwise it creates bad locker room chemistry. Players know. They do.
Never believe that your locker room culture will change a person’s behavior. This is rarely the case and when it does work it is only on a minimum salary short deal. Giving a large money or long term deal in this situation RARELY works if ever.
You're never 'one player away' from a Super Bowl because there is a 100% injury rate in this sport.
Ignore the outside noise. A segment of the fan base will be unhappy. The local media will be unhappy, the agents will be unhappy and you are sure to hear that you are not trying to win.
** STAY FOCUSED—REMEMBER THE MISSION**
Every one looks out for their own interest. You have to look out for the best interest for the team and stay focused on that. Set a price that is fair and if that price escalates, walk away. You are not in a church auction. You run a football team. If you do so, your cap will be well managed which is absolutely essential for sustained success and you will have the ability to sign your own free agents first. They are the priority when you are a good team, and you are a good team because you draft well.
Always remember that the free agent you lose hurts you more than he helps his new team. This is why historical trends show that it takes a free agent changing teams and systems almost a year to fit and become really efficient.
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I didn't write these excerpts, but written by one has been there and did the job before they penned a very long list. I trimmed it down slightly for the forum.

I THINK that I am reasonably a smart guy.........
(My wife of 25 years, may does think differently
During FA last year........ I was clamoring for FA A, or FA B............
Ballard said "I will wait for value in FA"
Result - He picked up an egg or two, but we brought in a few needed players..... he dumped the "eggs"
HE WAS RIGHT....... I WAS WRONG
During the draft last year, I was clamoring for a sexy pick...... Not a GUARD!!!!
Ballard SAID........ "I will build the lines FIRST"
Result - Believed to be the best single draft of last year. Of 32 Teams..... thats special
Its a LONG way from now......... but there is a decent, not THAT remote, if the player can stay healthy, CHANCE that his top 2 picks MAY wear a yellow jacket some day
HE WAS RIGHT........ I WAS WRONG
This year........ I am hoping for a specific FA pick or two that I think we need.......
If we dont get MY choice..... I am not going to wet my pants
I think you have to give benefit of the doubt to CB
https://www.stampedeblue.com/2019/3/12/18261988/does-spending-big-in-free-agency-translate-to-success
Quote from Article
The raw data shows that just 37% (9/24) of the 6 biggest spenders in Free-Agency made the Playoffs the following year. As the success of a football team depends on a lot of different factors other than free-agency spending, take the data with a grain of salt. Injuries happen, and a player a franchise considered a sure-bet ends up failing.
Something to consider.....

At this time of year and fans start thinking about future members of their favorite team, this is a good thing to remember.
Fans see what a college player IS.
Scouts, front office personnel, and coaches are trying to see what a player CAN BECOME. And that's a big, BIG difference.
You'll often see posts from fans here wondering why we took that guy? Or why did another team take this guy? And they wonder because the guy they like is still on the board and that's who they think their favorite team should've taken. Because, whatever he IS, teams think they can make him better. That the player has a higher ceiling.
Also.... fans have little way of knowing if the player has been taken off a team's board for a variety of reasons. Health. Character. Locker room issues. Family and other personal issues. Lots of things we'll never know about. Sometimes we do. We all wondered why Darrice Guice kept falling last year. Turns out he had enough red flags to launch a big sail boat. And that eventually leaked out. We also wondered about Hurst. We knew he had a health issue, but we were surprised so many teams passed on him as long as they did. But typically, that type of info doesn't get out. Sometimes the decision doesn't come down to the GM. It can come down to the owner. Especially when it comes to character. Some owners don't want to handle the heat out in public. And sometimes a player is given a thumbs down by the medical staff. There's just no way to know....
One last thought....
Remember the highlight reals on YouTube and elsewhere are typically highlights. The best of a player. It's rare to see a collection of plays that represent the WORST of a player. So judging a player only by the highlights can be misleading. And if we saw the worst of a player, we might all have another viewpoint.